The Guardian of Remnant
by Dr.Bartholomew.J.Tucker
Summary: There are some things you just can't reason with. Magic zombies, evil Ghost's, and homicidal robots are three of them. I guess I should add daemonic mutant creatures to that list. Rated M for Violence, Cursing, Etc... Really no good at summaries, so just give it a try. Neo X Stella for those who know my characters.
1. Chapter 1

_**Greetings, readers! 'Tis I, Marethyu, back to deliver a new story! I apologize for the long wait, but I think it's been worth it! However, before we begin, I have a little news- As some of you know, I am going into the military. However, I renegotiated my contract, so I'll be an Intelligence Analyst instead of a Combat Medic! I ship out in about two weeks, so wish me luck. I will try to update at least one more time time during those two weeks, but after that I won't be back until next year! I have about three or four chapters to post for this chapter, and then a second new story in the form of a BRS RWBY rewrite ! No time for a guest disclaimer this time, so I'll do it myself. I do not own any aspect of RWBY or Destiny!**_

Chapter 1

Emerald Forest, 5km outside of Beacon Academy

6:30PM

The sun hung low in the sky, shining softly upon the brilliant autumnal colors of the Emerald Forest. In the distance, the Emerald green towers of Beacon Academy shimmered proudly. A crisp chill in the air signaled the arrival of cool fall weather and the approaching Vytal Festival. The low rumble of a large VTOL heralded the arrival of a new batch of foreign students, all of them chatting excitedly amongst themselves, though not all for the same reasons...

"Remind me, again, why we're posing as students participating in the Vytal Tournament?" A silver haired teen, Mercury Black, lounged lazily in one of the chairs, tugging at his pants leg with a slightly irritated expression.

His partner in crime, Emerald Sustrai, rolled her eyes in exasperation and sighed, holding up a finger, "One, because we need access to the Beacon CCT Tower. Two, it's recon for the big event. And th-"

"And three is because I said so, "A soft, sultry voice purred. Cinder Fall, leader of the small troupe, approached Mercury, followed closely by a black haired green eyed girl wearing a Goth-Lolita dress. The latter moved with a bit slower, with a slight limp. "I just finished giving Neo here a little lesson to remind her who's in charge. Surely I don't have to do the same for either of you, right?" As she spoke, a small flame flickered to life on her palm, and her eyes lit up with a menacing orange glow. Both teenagers paled and hastily muttered their apologies. Emerald shot Neo a sympathetic glance as Cinder continued, "Besides, as the saying goes: 'Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer...'" She laughed at her little joke, a sickly sweet sound that sent shivers down two of their spines made the disguised Neo twitch in fear.

Cinder's laugh cut off abruptly as she turned to look out the window. she approached the thick glass pane with a confused expression, "Tell me, does anyone else see two suns?"

Mercury and Emerald glanced at each other nervously, while Neo just cautiously moved towards the window. Frowning slightly, Mercury peered out across the forest, "Two suns? I don't see what y-What the hell!?"

Just above the evening sun, a second ball of fire could be seen. Other students began noticing odd phenomenon, and began taking pictures and videos. The fireball grew bigger and brighter as it approached the VTOL, causing Cinder to subconsciously step back, thinking the object was going to collide with the VTOL. Fortunately, it merely passed over the craft. A resounding boom echoed through the air, cracking the VTOL windows and shattering more than a few lightbulbs. Everyone, including the criminals, dropped to the floor in a panic.

The massive projectile continued its savage path of smoke and fire for a few more seconds before slamming into the ground with a terrifying screech of twisting metal. For a moment, everything remained still. Cinder broke the heavy pause by prodding Neo and gesturing for her to go see what happened. The small girl glared at her reproachfully, but did as she was told. Limping over to the far window, she gazed out upon a strange and terrible sight. The object had plowed its way through a quarter mile of forest, leaving behind a path of pure destruction. At the main impact site, the charred shell of some unknown aircraft lay half buried under a pile of dirt and trees. Neo stared at the craft long and hard before whipping out her scroll and sending a message.

It's some sort of aircraft. There's too damage to identify it though.

she hit the send button, and after a few moments, the rest of her team joined her (along with a majority of the students). Mercury whistled, "Damn... I hope that thing was remotely piloted, otherwise Atlas is going to have some seriously pissed people."

Cinder ignored the content as a message came over the PA, telling everyone to move away from windows, "Alright, time to mingle. Meet up at the dorm room." She vanished into the crowd, followed closely by Mercury and Emerald, who left together in another direction. Neo ignored them and continue to inspect the craft.

She had lied when claiming the craft was too damaged to identify. Her Uncle Torchwick was a bit of an aircraft buff, and had passed on some of his obsession to Neo. The usually ice cream themed girl knew of almost every type of aircraft the Atlasian military had ever made, and this thing was far beyond anything Atlas could produce. Or anyone for that matter. For one, there wasn't an air intake system that would usually be seen on high velocity jets used by the military, and even with the violence of the crash, there should have been something left behind resembling one. Second, she didn't know of many jets or other large aircraft (this one was about the size of a small transport VTOL) that could break the sound barrier. That technology just wasn't found anywhere on Remnant.

However, that wasn't the most jarring thing. On Remnant, all aircraft had a highly durable Dust resivour. The metal tanks had to be practically indestructible in order to prevent any unfortunate accidents with the highly volatile fuel source. Neo couldn't see a single resivour anywhere on the main structure of the fairly intact aircraft. If Neo had to guess, the crashed object must have had a second hull built around the first, probably to both disperse large shocks and seal the inside. Further inspection revealed that there wasn't a resivour of any sort in the visible debris field. If this thing was flying without a Dust Resivour, that could only mean one thing... It didn't run on Dust.

A small movement brought Neo's attention back to the main structure. A lone figure was pulling themselves out of the wreckage, and had managed to slide down the side. Neo winced as they collapsed after a few painful steps. They tried pushing themselves up, but fell a second time. She held her breath as the figure remained still for what seemed to be an eternity. Were they dead? No... The survivor pulled themselves into a sitting position using the charred stump of a tree. They turned towards the VTOL she was in, and Neo couldn't help but feel that they were staring right at her. She watched as they turned away, just before a small transport VTOL with the Beacon Academy seal flew past them, heading towards the crash sight.

Neo stumbled back, falling into an empty seat. What had she just seen? The crash landing of some experimental VTOL from Atlas? No... That was out of the question. Atlas was far too reliant upon Dust and too set in its ways to even consider an alternative energy source. No other kingdom had that sort of tech as far as she knew, and the thought of a civilian having anything to do with this was just ridiculous. Neo swallowed thickly as a final, chilling possibility entered her thoughts. That craft didn't look like anything from Remnant because it wasn't from anywhere on the planet. It was an alien spacecraft. There was a survivor too... An alien had crashed in front of Beacon Academy... And a VTOL from the school was about to find it, and bring it back...

"Guardian... Eyes up, Guardian... Can you hear me Stella? Please, wake up. It is not safe here..."

Stella groaned, stirring slightly in the pilot seat of her shattered craft. Slowly, she lifted her head and peered blearily through a cracked helmet, "Light... What happened? Where are we?"

The small AI device hovered in front of his Guardian, scanning her carefully, "I don't know. The last moments I can recall are somewhere blurred and frantic. We were ambushed by a Hive Tomb ship orbiting the moon. They somehow managed to land a critical hit on our warp systems, causing a large temporal distortion to form around the Arcadia. The readings I managed to collect are similar to those found during a Vex transport occurring right on top of us, only there were no Vex involved..."

Moving painfully, Stella unclipped herself from the seat... Only to promptly fall to the right, bouncing off of a wall console. A fiery pain immediately blossomed to life in her chest, causing the injured Guardian to gasp in pain and grab her side. Her Ghost tsked softly, floating over and admonishing her, "Honestly, you should be more careful. I detected no less than fifteen stress fractures in your arms, legs, and vertebral column. Not to mention a few minor contusions in your chest. I have directed our remaining Light Energy towards repairing the damage in your chest and spine, so try not to injure yourself too badly for a while. Now, we n-"

"What do you mean, 'remaining Light Energy'?" Stella's blood ran cold as she recalled Ghost's comparison of the warp malfunction to a Vex transport. "Ghost... Where are we?"

"I don't know..." Light bobbed, his central light blinking. "After the temporal distortion event, all contact with The Reef, The Traveler, and the Tower ceased."

She froze, "No contact? Nothing at all?"

"Well, not entirely. Wherever we are, there appears to be human life. I've been sorting through massive quantities of wirelessly available information and radio transmissions from across this'kingdom.' We are currently located within the kingdom of Vale. The planet is named Remnant according to data I have collected."

Stella groaned and pulled herself and over the pilot seat, trying to the emergency escape hatch on the far, which was somehow above her now... She grunted as she twisted the release lever, allowing a rush a clean, crisp air to flood the cabin, "So... We're stranded on some distant planet, with absolutely no way to contact the Queen for assistance, and surrounded by possibly hostile, alien humans." She heaved herself up and over the edge of the door, rating for a bit on the earth metal of her downed so.

Light dematerialized entered her mind, That is correct. Although I feel obligated to mention that technically you are the alien in this situation. I sincerely hope that some of what the Queen taught you managed to sink into your hard head, particularly where it concerns foreign diplomacy...

Stella laughed weakly and started to slide down the side of her ship. She opened her mouth to respond to her friend's barb but was cut short when a large, protruding piece of jagged metal bit onto her leg, cutting through her current armor like butter. She grabbed at her leg instinctively, forgetting for a moment that she was sliding towards the ground. She landed with a heavy thud, causing stars to explode in her eyes as hot pain lanced through her chest. She struggled to her feet, taking a few weak steps before collapsing. Her hands shot forward to catch herself, and she saw that the right one was completely coated with her own brackish blood. The now severely injured Guardian wheezed softly as the world around her grew dim, and everything began to grow numb. Was... Was she dying?

No, Stella. You're going into shock. However, I would prefer it if you didn't die. There isn't enough Light here to resurrect you if you do. Please, get up...

Stella pushed herself up weakly, but collapsed as her arms gave out. She almost cried in pain as the impact sent fire through her chest. Everything hurt, even breathing, "Light, I can't do it... Not in this condition..."

Yes you can Guardian. I-hang on... I'm receiving a transmission... Someone saw our crash, a Headmaster Ozpin is sending a VTOL out to investigate... One moment...

Using the charred stump of a tree, Stella managed to pull herself up into a sitting position as Light patched the transmission through her helmet.

A soft, yet concerned male voice filtered into her helmet, "Unknown aircraft, this is Professor Ozpin, Headmaster of Beacon Academy, please respond. We are sending a team to survey the crash site, and we need to know if there are any survivors. Again, if there are any survivors out there, please respond...

Stella wheezed out her response, clutching at her chest in pain, "Headmaster Ozpin... This St-Stella Black of the Arcadia... I am a Warlock Class Guardian... From the planet Earth... Are you receiving me?"

There was a short pause between this Ozpin's response, and Stella worried that the damage to her helmet was more than just superficial. Then the voice returned, "Guardian Black... Could you repeat that? You said you're from a different... Planet?"

Stella coughed weakly, and a small dribble of blood leaked from her mouth, "Yes... Please... I'm severely injured... Several broken ribs, maybe a busted lung... my leg is bleeding out too..."

The voice returned much faster this time, "Just stay there, Miss Black. We are sending out one of a team on a VTOL. Is there anyone with you?"

"Just... Just my Ghost... an AI device..."

"Alright, just stay on the line with me... Look around, tell me what you see."

Stella turned her head weakly, observing her surroundings. Despite the bloodloss, she immediately noticed the large aircraft flying slowly a mile or so away. "There's a large, flying vehicle about a mile or so away... It looks like a transport..." A pinkish blur caught her eye, and she used the zoom function in her helmet to get a closer look. "I see a girl on the craft... She's watching me..."

The voice cleared his throat, "Yes, that is a VTOL. It's bringing in foreign students from another kingdom... Can you describe her for me?"

Stella nodded slowly, "She's short... Wearing a black dress and carrying a black parasol... Her eyes are green... I think... She's a bit blurry... There's a pink interference surrounding her..."

"Thank you... Just hold on a little bit longer. The VTOL should be arriving any second now..."

Right on cue, a smaller aircraft zoomed overhead. It came to an abrupt halt, dropping down and landing. A group of four people dropped down, and Stella blinked wearily. 'I must really be going into shock now... That girl has bunny ears...'

As they neared her, Stella tried to get up a third time, barely making it to her knees. One of the humans, a female wearing chocolate toned clothing, managed to catch her before she could do anymore damage to her own body. She was saying something to her... What was it? It didn't matter... Everything was slipping away... Everything was simply a blur... And then everything became nothing.

 _ **Forwards and onwards my good friends!**_


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

Beacon Academy Airfield

If Neo had been nervous before landing, she was utterly terrified now. She clutched at the pink parasol she loved so much (currently black due to her illusion), shaking like a leaf as the VTOL docked at Beacon's airfield. She just witnessed an alien crash landing. There was a survivor. That survivor was either hiding in the woods or- She nearly jumped out of her skin as the smaller VTOL from earlier roared overhead, landing closer to the school. A group of four students jumped off, followed by a team of paramedics who lowered a stretcher onto its wheels and headed for the academy doors. From this far, Neo couldn't really say who was on the stretcher, but she could easily guess who the only severely injured person was within a ten kilometre radius.

"Miss Politan?"

Neo spun around, her eyes wide as a blond woman wearing a tattered purple cloak walked up to her. She pointed to herself and then to her mouth, shaking her head frantically.

The woman just nodded, "That's enough, Miss Politan. Your file already mentions your mutism. You may use your scroll to communicate, or a pen and pad will be provided for you if needed. I am Glynda Goodwitch, combat instructor and Deputy Headmistress here at Beacon Academy. Would you come with me, please?" Without waiting for an answer, Glynda placed a hand on Neo's shoulder and steered her towards the nearest building. It took all of Neo's willpower not to flinch, as some of Cinder's "reminders" were still fresh.

After directing Neo through a series of long corridors, Glynda stopped in front of an empty classroom and gestures for her to sit down. The Deputy Headmistress closed the door and turned to Neo, sighing when she beheld the shaken girl, "Please, Miss Politan, try to relax. Nothing bad is going to happen." She pinched the bridge of her nose as Neo flinched at her words, and continued with a much gentler tone. "I take it you saw the crash?"

Slowly, Neo withdrew her personal scroll, confused by the question. Opening the text function, she quietly typed out her response. I think everyone on the VTOL saw it, Miss Goodwitch.

Glynda nodded, "Of course, I should have thought about that myself..." She pursed her lips, trying to a more delicate way of approaching her actual topic. Finding none, she shook her head and forged on. "Hmm... I'm not really one for sugarcoating things, so I'll get straight to the point. Did you notice anything unusual about the crash?"

Neo's eyes widened, and she bit her lip. Should she tell her the truth, or lie? Part of her wanted to just hide and pray that Cinder never found out about this encounter, but another part of her wanted answers... After a few moments of internal debate, she finally typed a response.

The craft, it wasn't from Remnant. Was it? I didn't see any evidence of an air intake system for high velocity movement, and it looked like the craft used to have a double layered hull system for pressurization. Not to mention the little detail of a missing dust resivour... Also, there was a survivor. I saw them from the VTOL, and one of your VTOLs were going to investigate the crash. They came back with an injured person on board. Is the alien here in Beacon?

When she finally looked up to show her response, she nearly dropped the scroll. A second person had joined them in the classroom, someone she instantly recognized. Professor Ozpin, Headmaster of Beacon Academy, and Cinder's number one threat. He was sitting there as if there was absolutely nothing wrong with the situation. After reading her response, he leaned back and nodded appreciatively, "Very astute observation, Miss Politan. I suspect someone knows their aircraft. You are correct on all accounts,I think. I will have to ask about the more technical details from our guest later on. Actually, it was the alien who somehow managed to spot you from such a large distance." He laughed softly at Neo's stunned reaction and shook his head. "I'm not sure how she spotted you myself, but please be assured that she means no harm to you. Thank you for telling us the truth, but now I must ask that you keep this a secret. It just wouldn't do to have Atlasian forces pounding on Beacon's door to try and take her away for scientific purposes. Do you think you can do that for me?"

Neo nodded quickly, eager to put some distance between her and Ozpin. I understand, Professor Ozpin. I swear I won't tell anyone!

Ozpin smiled gently, "That's all I wanted, Miss Politan. Now, would you like to meet our guest?"

Glynda gasped, clearly disturbed by Ozpin's seemingly careless attitude, "Oscar! Why on Remnant would you tell anyone about something like this? Especially a student from another country! That's just irresponsible and a blatant disregard of national security! We should be saying that all she saw was the crash landing of a prototype VTOL from our militia! How can you possibly believe that a teenager in this day and age would keep this a secret? With all of the social media and gossip, I wouldn't be surprised if-"

"Are you saying that you don't trust the students?" Ozpin gazed at Glynda over his spectacles, amusement clear in his eyes.

"Yes! That is exactly what I'm saying! A child is to young to comprehend the enormity of a momentous event such as first contact with another form of sentient life! I let the incident with Miss Rose slide due to her skill, but this is utter nonsense!"

Ozpin tilted his head to the side, a small smile on his face, "Your objections have been duly noted, Glynda. Now, I believe I asked you a question, Neo. Do you want to see our guest? She might not be awake yet, seeing as she just survived a very rough landing, but her Ghost assures me that she should wake up any moment now."

Neo bit her lip. A chance to meet an actual alien? Not a chance someone would pass up lightly. She weighed her options. She could refuse, and return to Cinder on time and with a little bit of intel, using the excuse of eavesdropping as a cover story to avoid any risky questions. That might keep things normal between them, but she would still be risking her wrath for nearly being late. On the other hand, she could actually see the alien, gather a much larger load of information, and return to Cinder later. That way she could keep her at bay for at least a few days...

Slowly, the tiny teen nodded, and typed out a response, I would love to see the alien! Where are you keeping her? Can we go now? Is she going to be okay? How did she see me from so far away?

Ozpin smiled at her and stood up, "Hmm... In order then. We have our own medical facilities here are Beacon, and she's been placed in a private ward. I was heading there myself to ask a few questions, so yes we can. And according to her Ghost, you might meet him if he wants to be seen, she should be fine by tomorrow. As for how she saw you, her technology is far beyond anything we have." As he headed towards the door, he called out to his colleague. "I don't suppose you could give the welcome speech to the new arrivals, Glynda? Thank you. Come along, Neo."

The duo vanished through the door, leaving an utterly baffled Glynda Goodwitch standing in the middle of an empty classroom. Speaking to no one in particular, she stated, "Okay... So to recap the past hour, an alien crash landed in our school, a foreign student saw the survivor, Ozpin decided not just to provide medical assistance to said alien, but to also spill the beans to the foreign student and allow her to meet the alien..." She sighed and rubbed her temples.

"Oh, Oum... Please don't be going senile on me, Oscar. At the rate you're going, I'm going to have the alien in my combat class..." Glynda groaned at the thought and left the room. That was enough worrying about her boss's antics, she had a large group of overexcited teenagers to welcome.

"Stella, please stop poking at the bandages. Your wound can easily become infected now that we don't have enough light to heal you. All remaining Light is concentrated upon healing your ribs now that the vertebral column is repaired."

Stella glanced up at her Ghost, fingering the swath of bandages around her leg, "You heard that nurse. With the amount of that white sand stuff she put on the cut, I should be fixed up by tomorrow. Speaking of which, have you figured out what that stuff was? Despite the fact that it looked like pure salt being poured into the wound, it didn't really hurt... It felt kind of nice actually. Not at all like the med'muerten used by the Fallen. That stuff burns like a muct'cucquta."

The stranded Guardian was stuck in a hospital room that wouldn't have looked out of place in a 23rd century Earth hospital. She still felt a bit lightheaded from the blood loss, but at least her leg didn't hurt. Her chest still hurt quite a bit though.

The Ghost bobbed quickly, "Yes and no. The people of Remnant call it Dust, and it comes in many forms. It's hard to separate the local lore with actual facts, but by using this academy's wireless archives I was able to find an electronic textbook. The form used upon you is a basic White Dust. It is widely used in medical practices for its natural healing and antiseptic properties."

He floated closer to the leg and began scanning it, "However, I am having difficulty identifying its chemical composition. As far as I can tell, it's a crystalline glimmer structure containing small amounts of Light Energy."

Stella frowned, attempting to process the information, but failing. "Frozen Light? Weird..."

Light bobbed and turned towards the door, "Agreed... Guardian, we have visitors..."

She glanced down at the simple jumpsuit she currently wore and frowned. How she despised not having a set of armor on. Hell, she practically lived in hers most of the time.

As if on cue, a white haired man wearing green stepped inside, carrying a cane and green square of glass in one hand, and a mug of tea in the other. Close behind him was the girl Stella spotted on the large 'VTOL'. The man nodded towards Stella and sat down, "So... It is a pleasure to see you alive and well, Miss Black.

Stella instantly recognized the voice from her crash, "Headmaster Ozpin... I was wondering when I would be seeing you." She glanced at the girl now seated next to Ozpin, curious as to why he would bring a civilian. Not that it mattered at the moment, what did was ensuring her survival. She knew how humanity treated sentient life that wasn't well... Human. "It's nice to finally put a face to the voice. I have heard a little bit about you."

Ozpin raised an eyebrow and spared a look at the 'Ghost' reported by Team CFVY, "Oh? I hope it was all good."

Light cleared his nonexistent throat and spoke up, "Oscar Ozpin, Headmaster of Beacon Academy and High Commander of Vale's Militia Force. Close contacts include Deputy Headmistress Glynda Goodwitch, General James Ironwood, Taiyang Xiao Long, Qrow Brawnwen, Raven Brawnwen, and Summer Rose. Of the last three, Qrow is on assignment in Atlas, though his current whereabouts are unknown. Raven is currently MIA, although there have been a few recent sightings. Summer Rose has been declared dead due to an unfortunate Grimm attack." Light's tone was that of mild disbelief as he made the last statement.

Ozpin grew slightly paler and took a slow sip of his tea, "Ahem... That is... very accurate... Miss Politan, I would like to remind you that nothing said in here is to leave to leave this room..."

Stella allowed a small, triumphant smirk to flit across her face, "My apologies for crash landing at your err... School. That is what this place is, correct? Little Light, my Ghost keeps referring to it as an academy, but I don't really recall many schools from my area of space that allow students to carry weapons like the tall boy with the massive sword. Then again, there are only three schools left on Earth, and the Reef doesn't exactly follow the public school system... There aren't too many educational opportunities out there when the entire population numbers somewhere in the hundred millions..."

She watched the headmaster carefully, waiting for his response. The young Warlock had always been relatively well spoken, something that had endeared her to the Awoken Queen. Because of that, the Queen had decided to give Stella a few lessons in politics and negotiations. To the untrained eye, she had simply asked about the academy, but really it was far more than that. By using her Ghost to access files on Ozpin, she showed that there was little he could hide from her. Ozpin was obviously shaken by Light's statements, but did a fair job at hiding it if Miss Politan's reaction, or lack thereof, was any indication. Stella spared a second glance at the unknown girl. She was slowly becoming uneasy in her presence, not that the green eyed girl's scrutinizing stare was helping.

The second half of her little foray was twofold. It was an inquiry into the purpose of the academy, as well as a brief statement concerning her own origins. In short, she was saying: Tell me a little bit about this world and I will tell you about mine. However, don't you dare lie to me, because I will find out eventually...

Just a little Quid Pro Quo with a pinch of Habeas Corpus.

Ozpin seemed to understand immediately took another sip of his tea, considering the matter. After a few moments, he smiled gently, "Please, Miss Black, there's no need for such tactics. I will gladly tell you whatever you want, within reason of course." He set the cup of tea to the side and tilted his head. To answer your question, this is indeed a school, mine in fact. Beacon Academy is the most prestigious combat academies within the kingdom of Vale, and one of the top schools on Remnant. It is here that we train the next generation of huntsmen and huntresses to defend us all against the dark Creatures of Grimm." He gestured out the window, towards the first. "You may study the Grimm we keep in the Emerald Forest during your stay here."

Ozpin cleared his throat and glanced at Neo, nodding, "I think Miss Polita has a few questions to ask, so I'll allow her to er... Speak. She will probably ask some of the questions I want answered."

Stella had to restrain herself from frowning. Now it was clear why the girl was here. As a simple civilian, she wouldn't be able to get much of anything from her, and Ozpin knew it. Managing to keep her composure, she nodded at the girl, "Okay, here's how this is going to work. You can ask me whatever you want. I will answer it, and if I can't, then my Ghost here will. After your question is answered, we will ask our own, and you will answer it to the best of your ability. Do you understand me?"

The girl nodded quickly and whipped out a small, rectangular. She tapped on it a few times, before typing something out and showing it to the alien, First, I want to know your name, but that isn't what I want to ask. How did you power your ship? I didn't see any sign of a Dust resivour in the debris field, or the main structure.

Stella, blinked owlishly, her ethereal green eyes flickering in confusion as she read the message, "Main structure... Well, the name's Black, Stella Black. As for the ship... How can I put this into terms you might understand... The energy source used in my ship comes from something called Nuclear Fission. In other words, we split the atom to create energy. It um... The fuel is... It..."

Stella, while I absolutely hate interrupting your feeble attempts at explaining nuclear physics, I think we have a problem.

Stella frowned openly now, and turned to look at her Ghost, What's wrong?

Well, this girl is not who she says she is. You both see a girl with green eyes, black hair, and a black dress, but that isn't what I'm seeing...

Ozpin and Neo watched the silent interaction between the duo, confused by the abrupt silence. Without warning, Stella shot off the bed and slid to a stop in front of the door, slamming it shut. A flash of light engulfed her hand, solidifying into a rather large handgun that looked as if it had been carved from stone. She pointed it at Neo and practically hissed a question at her, "Reveal your true face, Human!"

Ozpin stood abruptly, pointing the end of his cane at Stella. "What is the meaning of this, Guardian!?" He thundered. A strange green energy began pouring off of him, and the air seemed to grow heavy with latent power.

Stella tightened her grip on the gun, her eyes daring between the humans, "This girl isn't who she says she is! The duc'cunta's disguise may be able to fool your cameras and the naked eye, but my Ghost was able to penetrate it. Tell him, Light!" A savage grin marred her face as a glimmer of fear appeared in Neo's eyes. The girl began looking around nervously for an exit.

"She is telling the truth. My optical sensors are not seeing what you see. The best way I can describe her appearance is err... Ice cream. Pink and brown hair, a neapolitan themed suit and parasol, pink and brown eyes... It looks fairly unusual for a human, even by the standards of Earth's outlandish fashions."

Ozpin eyed Stella carefully before turning to Neo, "Miss Politan? Is this true? Are you- Your eyes... They're pink now."

Neo swallowed nervously, before smirking and bowing sarcastically. The illusion shattered immediately, revealing her true identity. Ozpin raised an eyebrow curiously, instantly recognizing the girl described by Yang Xiao Long at the Paladin attack.

He cleared his throat and sat back down, "Well, isn't this a pleasant surprise. Miss Black, please put your gun away. This is a hospital, not a gun range. Neopolitan, stay put. We can all discuss this like civilized people, correct?" Ozpin's voice was soft and calm, but carried an authority with it that barred no arguments.

Stella glanced at her Ghost, Check her identity, if you can.

Already running facial recognition software and her alias through wirelessly available databases. You can go ahead and put the gun away.

Reluctantly, she dispelled her weapon and began inspecting the girl's new appearance. Despite Neo's smirk and nonchalant posture, the Guardian could tell she was preparing to fight in order to escape. Stella sighed, and gestured to her now vacant bed, "Sit down. I believe it is my turn to ask a question, is that okay, Ozpin?

The headmaster node, and the strange green energy around him vanished instantly, "Of course, Miss Black. Please, sit down Neo. You aren't in any trouble right now, but I think you own us an explanation. Or rather you still need to answer Miss Black's question."

Stella remained silent for a moment as Neo sat down in her seat stiffly, ignoring her request to suit down on the bed. The Guardian decided to allow her Ghost to process Neo first, and choose something else that shouldn't be too intrusive for the girl, she hoped... "So... The energy your body produces, what is it? I saw it pouring off of Ozpin just now, and my helmet managed to detect a cloud of pinkish interference when you were on that VTOL craft."

Neo blinked in confusion, thrown for a loop by the off topic question. She glanced at Ozpin, as if asking for permission, not that she really needed it. She just wanted to appear submissive... Ozpin merely smiled and nodded at her. Neo noticed however, that his hand still rested upon the trigger of his cane gun, which was pointed towards the ground, but still elevated slightly in her direction. Eventually, she pulled her scroll back out and began typing,It's my Aura. I use it to fuel my Semblance, Shattered Mind. Is there any, Aura where you come from? And why don't you get back on the bed? You just survived a very violent crash, and I'm surprised that you didn't break anything.

Stella grimaced as a painful throb reminded her of her still damaged ribs. Light was able to concentrate the remaining Light Energy they had left, but it was still going to be a few hours before she could do any heavy lifting, "Actually, I broke my ribs and nearly punctured a lung." She grunted painfully as she limped back over to the bed and collapsed in it. "And no, we don't have aura on Earth or the Reef. There are stories from our Golden Age and earlier of Aura and magic, but we never really used it or the semblance stuff. How does it work?

The ice cream themed girl frowned for a moment, trying to think of an answer. Unfortunately, she had never really been to a school that she could remember, and Torchwick never actually used either of aura or Semblance. Her face flushed with embarrassment and she really did look to Ozpin for assistance this time.

An understanding smile appeared on his face and he cleared his throat, "I think might be a question best left for another time, such as a library. Suffice to say, Aura is the the physical manifestation of your soul. It shields and protects you from harm, and it fuels your semblance. Semblance is an ability that is unique to every soul."

Aura? Semblance? Souls? Just where the hell had she crashed? She shook her head, deciding to look into it later, "Right. Aura equals soul..."

Stella, I have the information you requested. I must warn you though, there isn't very much at all... May I speak to her?

Stella nodded, and gestured to her companion, "This is Little Light, my Ghost. He assists me with tactical infiltration and reconnaissance. Do you mind if he asks a few questions?"

Ozpin nodded hesitantly, concerned by Stella's description, but unable to understand what she was doing, "Of course he may. What is it that he-"

"This is a question for Neopolitan," the small device drifted closer to the girl in question, a curious tone in his voice. "I have been running your face and name through various databases accessable wirelessly, but there is almost nothing on your appearance, and your surname doesn't exist at all, barring a few faked school transcripts. Do you think you could tell us your real name?"

Neo hesitantly shook her head, I can't remember it. Mr. Torch just called me Neopolitan the first time he met, and the name sort of stuck.

Light bobbed up and down, as if nodding, "Ah, yes... You must be referring to Roman Torchwick. According to numerous public records, Roman Torchwick is a criminal who started with pretty larceny and trespassing, and has recently progressed to large Dust heists and terrorism. Not exactly the best company for a young girl such as yourself."

Neo glared at the floating device and rapidly typed out her response, Roman Torchwick is not a bad man! He took me in ten years ago when I tried to steal food from his apartment! Torchwick raised me and passed on all of his tricks. He isn't just some crook, and he certainly isn't a terrorist! Assuming something like that is like accusing you and and your friend of being scouts for an invasion force!

Stella laughed, amused by Neo's angry response, "She has a point, Light. Maybe we shouldn't accuse the master thief who steals large quantities of magic crystals of being a terrorist."

Ozpin frowned at Stella's 'magic crystal' quip, but found himself wanting to hear Neo's side of the story, "Well, Miss Politan, if you and your surrogate guardian aren't terrorists, them maybe you can explain why he stole an Atlasian Paladin and went on a rampage through downtown Vale to try and kill my students."

Neo paled and swallowed hard, We were just following orders! Our employer needed the local White Fang packs on her side, so she had Roman and a few thugs raid a train shipment carrying the robot and deliver it to the White Fang meeting. He was supposed to be a representative. Then he said he saw Blake Belladonna and he wanted to impress our employer and get Adam Taurus to side with her faster. She was extremely displeased by the mess he caused, and decided to 'remind' him why he should just follow orders. He's still stuck in bed recovering from it...

Stella furrowed her brow and looked towards Ghost, "Light, is there anything referencing an unknown employer for Torchwick?"

If possible, Neo became even paler, realizing that she may have given away too much.

Light hummed as he accessed some of Roman's public files, "Hmm... No, not really. According to the data I am analysing, he usually works for himself, barring one botched job some years ago. However, an employer would explain a behavioral change. Miss Neo, do you think you could provide a name?

Neo shook her head rapidly, trembling with actual fear as she thought of what Cinder was going to do to her because of this. Both Stella and Ozpin picked up on this, and the latter reached out to place a comforting hand on her shoulder. Neo instantly recoiled from his touch, pain flickering in her eyes.

A thought entered Stella's mind as she thought of Neo's previous response concerning Torchwick. Speaking softly, she asked, "Neo... the reminders you spoke of... Did your employer use the same thing on you? Did she threaten to kill you and Torchwick if you left? Please, names are something that can be found through other means, but if you're hurt... We need to know that."

Neo blinked in confusion. Were these two actually concerned for her well-being? Why? The alien only knew that she had lied about her identity and was a criminal, and Ozpin probably knew more about her than she knew herself. Was this a trick? Roman always told her that she could never trust anybody but herself and her surrogate uncle. But Roman wasn't here now, he was recovering from a heavy punishment, and Neo was completely trapped now. Realizing that it mattered little either way, she gave a small nod and stood up. The girl turned her back towards them, gesturing towards it.

Ozpin stood as well, "I will go get the nurse and then Glynda. Before I go, is there anything else you can tell us Neopolitan? Any names, addresses, or plans?"

Neo bit her lip, should she say anything else? A spark of hope flared in her as two people crossed her mind. She used one hand to type out one final response to the headmaster, Mercury Black and Emerald Sustrai. They're here at the academy posing as Minstral students too. We've been stationed here by our employer to act as spies. I don't know much about them, but they are in a similar position, I think.

Ozpin nodded, "They will have been issued a guest scroll from Beacon, so we can contact them with instructions to report here for a physical. It shouldn't raise too many questions..."

Light cleared his 'throat,' "I can take care of that, Mr. Ozpin. You retrieve the nurse and this Glynda."

The headmaster frowned uncomfortably, "You may do that, Ghost. However, in the future I must ask that you refrain from accessing information without prior authorization. There are laws here against that sort of thing, and a lot of that data is private."

"Of course, Mr. Ozpin." Light paused for a moment. "The message has been sent. Please find your nurse quickly now."

Ozpin hurried through the door, leaving Neo and Stella alone in the same room.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Stella coughed nervously, "Okay... I suppose the first thing we need to do is see what kind of damage we're dealing with. Could you remove your top, or do you require assistance?"

Neo shook her head, and slowly began peeling off the suit jacket and shirt she always wore. She hissed in pain as it stuck to her back in places, making it excruciatingly painful to remove. Eventually though, she managed to remove it, leaving her toppless safe for a white lace bra to cover her chest.

Stella gagged, utterly horrified and disgusted by the sight that greeted her. Neo's back was utterly covered in cuts and slashes that went deep enough to reach the ribs and spine underneath. The flesh was charred and blackened in some places to prevent her from bleeding through her clothes and hide the injuries. The burns weren't just localized to her back though. Stella could see them reaching around to Neo's front and sides, even going down past her waist. Her arms, face, and Stella could assume the lower legs, were completely unmarked though, telling Stella that these weren't some little punishments for failure, this was sadistic torture on a level that would unnerve the toughest Centurions.

Stella murmured a soft prayer in the Fallen language, resisting the urge to run and find a trash can. Hell, even her Ghost somehow had a green tint in his central light.

Neo cringed, tears springing to her eyes as they stared at her back. She wished they would just go away and leave her alone. Why were they torturing her like this? She hated these scars and the way they made her look. They were ugly, hot, and painful. She flinched as a cool, pale hand touched her arm and she was turned to face Stella.

"Listen to me, Neo..." her voice was soft, hesitant, and trembling. It was completely unlike the proud, forceful alien warrior she had been listening to earlier. "I can't claim to sympathize with your pain here, nor can I take it all away, but I want you to know something. I am sorry. No one should be treated like this, human or animal. I promise, if I ever get my hands on the monster who did this, I will kill them. They are no longer human anymore..."

Neo averted her eyes, trying to avoid the piteous gaze and words being spoken to her. She didn't want her pity, and who was she to give it? She was just part of some alien world with no relation to Remnant, right?

Stella glanced at her Ghost nervously, not knowing what she should do. She was a soldier, and a bit of a politician thanks to the Awoken Queen, but despite years of service in the Vanguard and the House of Wolves, she was unprepared for this. Gingerly, she lead Neo to the bed and made her sit down. "L-Light...See if you can get the nurse here faster..." She cautiously backed away from Neo, afraid that she might shatter if handled wrong. As soon as she reached a wall of cabinets, she nearly collapsed. Who could do such a thing? As a Guardian and an Honorary Fallen Captain, she had seen the evil produced by the darkness. The Vex, cold, calculating, and hell bent on wiping out all life. The Hive, a necrotic race who wanted to convert all organisms to their perverted form of immortality. The Taken, mindless creatures of darkness who wanted nothing more than to tear apart anything that carried the Light... All of them paled in comparison to this. She felt bile rise up in her throat as she began searching the cabinets, the image of a single handprint burned into the human's stomach coming to the front of her mind.

"Stella, see if there is a Blue Dust, White Dust, and anesthetic... And some gauze and bandages..."

She nodded quickly, and began pulling out vials of glowing Dust. They were small, and were labeled with a Schnee Dust Company logo, barring the anesthetic salve. As soon as she had the requested items, Stella rushed back to the injured girl, "What's next?"

Light inspected each vital, reviewing the information had pulled, "Well, the Blue Dust is used as a cooolant for burns and similar injuries. We can use it on skin that only has minimal damage... As for the rest, we'll have to mix the White Dust into the antiseptic salve in order to apply it..."

Stella but her lip, "I... Are you sure? These wounds are deep... I'm not sure how she's even conscious..."

Neo glared at her and allowed a bit of her aura to flare up in a pinkish cloud smelled suspiciously of strawberry ice cream.

Stella grimaced, "Aura. Light, I don't think I should be doing this. Where's the nurse?"

"Right here, Guardian. Would you mind telling me what you're doing out of bed?"

Stella jumped nervously and turned to the pink haired Nurse Joy, gesturing helplessly at Neo, "She needs it more than I do."

The nurse's eyes widened as she saw the state of Neo's back, "Oh my Dust... You poor girl! What happened? No wait, sit down on the bed. Guardian, hand me the Blue and White Dust you pulled out, as well as that salve."

Neo numbly did as she was told, her mind almost beyond any sort of comprehensive thought. The little flare of Aura she made was basically part of a reserve she had saved to stave off the pain and of her wounds. Because of that, her aura was almost always low. Now, it was all she had to not break down into a snivelling mess. She twitched as a light pressure was applied to her back, expecting to feel the heat of Cinder's hand.

"Shh... It's okay. This mixture should stave off any infection, and speed up the healing process. Not to mention this is a pretty powerful anesthetic. By Oum, child... What hap- Is that a handprint!? Oh Dust, were you tortured? Guardian, does Professor Ozpin know about this?"

Stella shook her head stiffly, "No... He knows that she was being hurt by... A former employer, but nothing to this extent. Two more students should be on their way here now with possibly similar situations." A shudder of revulsion went through her as Nurse Joy applied a thick layer of salve to a particularly deep cut. "I think there's more past her waist. I'll step outside to give you some privacy, and to greet the other two if they show up."

The nurse nodded, understanding Stella's desire to leave, "Of course, Guardian. Don't stray too far."

Stella made a beeline for the door, and forced herself not to slam it behind her. She leaned against the far wall, sliding down as a wave of nausea and pain hit her. Oh right, she was recovering from a fairly traumatic event as well. She was stabbed an unknown world, light-years away from the Queen, Ikora, the Reef, Tony... Everything she had finally grown used to and even enjoyed over the eight and a half years was gone. But that poor girl...

She swallowed thickly, tasting bile as the image of her charred and ravaged flesh appeared in her mind. Who could possibly do that to one of their own kind?

"Guardian, this isn't your fault..."

She glared at her Ghost, a ripple of Void energy flickering across her arms, "Is that really what you think I'm thinking? Really? Guess again. The injuries on that girl were caused by a human being, one of her own kind! Who would do something like that to their own kind!? I feel like they couldn't possibly be human, and yet I know they are! It isn't natural!"

Light sighed, "Stella... We aren't on Earth. This is a world who's human population numbers in the billions. Things like this were common in Earth's pre second dark age, especially before the Golden Age. Humanity numbered in the billions, and didn't have the sense of comradory that they do today. It's the same way here. Humanity doesn't have a common goal. Everyone has their own agendas, and few people actually want to help others out of the goodness of their hearts. That's just the way things are. Now eyes up, Guardian. The two other students will be here in about a minute and a half. Do you want your armor?"

Stella pulled herself up the wall and nodded, putting the issue aside, "Yes, I already miss it... What survived?"

Surprisingly, everything. I managed to seal the Vault before we crashed. You have access to your entire armory. I will have to repair the Obsidian Helm, but the Hood of Xur should agree to your tastes."

She cracked a tired smile, "Good job, Light. Just give me a standard armor set and trench coat with the hood attached."

Little Light put the finishing touches on Stella's 'casual' wear just as Emerald Sustrai and Mercury Black rounded the corner. She bowed slightly, drawing on her old English accent, "'Ello there! I am Stella Black, Warlock Class Guardian of Earth and a Captain within the Fallen House of Wolves. If you wouldn't mind, I would like for you to hand over your weapons immediately. Your colleague is in this room with a nurse to repair the damage done by your employer."

The two criminals glanced at each other and immediately settled into battle stances, although it appeared that only Emerald was armed. She narrowed her eyes suspiciously at Stella, "Who are you, and what the hell are you talking about?"

Stella frowned, expecting a reaction like this,"Please, this is an infirmary. I would rather not have a stray bullet go through these walls and hit Neopolitan or the Nurse. We already know who you are, but little else. I believe that the Headmaster of this academy, Oscar Ozpin, wishes to help you three."

Emerald refused to back down, glancing at Mercury who cracked his neck and drawled, "Listen, sweetheart. I don't think you understand the situation here. We ask you the questions, you give us the answers, and we'll refrain from killing you. Got it?"

Stella stared at Mercury, her face and eyes hidden by the darkness within the cowl of her hood. An irritated sigh slipped from her lips and she summoned a low powered, silenced hand cannon, shooting him square in the chest before either of them could react. The impact didn't do much damage, but it certainly packed a strong enough punch to knock him on his back. She cleared her throat, "Don't call me sweetheart."

The duo looked at her in shock, unable to comprehend what had just happened. Mercury staggered to his feet, wheezing, "What... How... What the hell are you, and what kind of Semblance was that!?"

She sighed, resisting the urge to shoot him again, "Try listening. I am Stella Black, Warlock Class Guardian of the planet Earth and a Captain in the Fallen House of Wolves. That wasn't a 'Semblance,' but a bit of alien technology. My ship crashed here earlier this evening, and Ozpin managed to rescue me before I bled out. Your friend, who was disguised at the time, managed to see me from the VTOL you arrived on, and was pulled aside, most likely for a debriefing of sorts."

She paused for a moment, wondering what had gone down in that little meeting. Shrugging, the alien dismissed it and continued, "My Ghost, Little Light, managed to see through the disguise. He's the pointed, glowing ball of metal hovering over me..."

"Hello..."

"Anyways, we managed to figure out a bit of her situation, and Ozpin has gone to find Glynda Goodwitch while Neo gets patched up. She said that you might need help too." Stella went silent, looking at the stunned duo expectantly.

Emerald cleared her throat, "Um... I have just a few questions. One, you're an alien? Two, Neopolitan said that she wanted to help us. Three, you're a freaking alien!?"

Stella rolled her eyes and lowered her hood to let them see her face for a moment, before putting it back up, "Yeah, you're talking to a bloody alien. Ugh... You humans are always so skeptical. Can't say I blame you though. If I had to go through half of what your colleague went through, I would have some serious trust issues as well. And yes, Neo claimed not to know you very well, but says that she also thinks you're in a similar position, is she correct?

Emerald and Mercury considered their answer, using a subtle body language they had developed over the years to communicate with each other when stalking a target in public together. They knew that Cinder would be long gone by the time this was over. The woman was smart enough to know that something was up when they received the messages on their scrolls. However, they still technically worked for her, so maybe this would be an excellent way to get some information. They just had to make themselves look believable.

Emerald nodded slowly, "Well, sort of... our employer used the same uh... Methods on us, but Neo always got the worst of it. She seemed to enjoy dishing out pain on someone who couldn't scream. We both have a few burns on our back for failing to stay put when we were supposed to be lying low. This bowler hat guy who was sort of the public face for our organization got the same treatment. In fact, he's having to recover from a particularly painful punishment after botching a White Fang meeting."

Stella considered her answer, trying to detect any falsehoods within it. Eventually, she decided to trust her, "Yeah, Neo said something similar. The man's name is Roman Torchwick. He's apparently sorta like Neo's surrogate uncle or something. We should probably wait until either Neo's fixed up or Ozpin arrives before doing anything..."

The two criminals shrugged and plopped down in the waiting chairs outside of the infirmary room. Mercury eyed Stella curiously as she sat across from them, "So... an alien, eh?"

"Yes. My warp engines were damaged during an ambush, resulting in a malfunction that sent me to this planet. Once I get the chance, my Ghost and I will attempt to figure out our location. Right now, we don't even know if we're in same galaxy. Hell, for all I know, we aren't in the same universe..."

"Actually, Stella, we are. The White Dust used on your leg contained Light Energy, remember?"

She shrugged, "And? We still don't know where we are."

Emerald cleared her throat to stop a potential argument, "Right, so what's a Guardian? It sounds you're a soldier of some kind."

Stella blinked in surprise, "Well,I suppose that's exactly what it is. Where I come from, the human race and their evolutionary descendants, the Awoken, are nearly extinct. Humanity lives on the home world planet Earth,concentrated inside the aptly named Last City, cowering under a broken and shattered mechanical deity from Mars named, The Traveler, and my race lives in the main asteroid belt, aka the Reef. The Guardians are the first and final line of defense against The Darkness and its minions. Unfortunately, Guardians are rarely made, and there's barely enough to keep our enemies at bay."

Mercury frowned, "The Darkness? You mean like the Grimm? If you can't fight off a bunch of soulless animals with the kind of tech you have, then maybe you-"

Stella moved in a blur, darting across the corridor in an instant and placing a hand cannon on Mercury's temple, "Maybe we should what? Die? Fade into nothing? Humanity has endured for over twenty five thousand years on Earth. They had conquered the inner solar system, ark ships were traveling to distant stars to colonize the galaxy, and the world finally had a semblance of unity and peace. You honestly think a bunch of animals did us in?"

She backed away, dispelling her gun and sitting stiffly in her seat, "The Darkness is like nothing you have ever fought. Imagine something so evil, so hateful, so deceitful, that it hates other evil. It will stop at nothing to obliterate the fragile light of life, and uses other races to do its bidding. The Fallen, a fractured race of planetless warriors. They are numerous, but aren't very powerful. Some have allied with humanity and the Awoken. I myself am a Captain and an honorary member of the House of Wolves. Despite the attempts of peace though, we have lost much of Earth to them...

"Then there's the Hive, a dead, necrotic race of dark origins. They want to convert other living races to their twisted religion. We have managed to hold them at arm's length by giving them our moon, but they are greedy, and have begun forays into other territories. They worship the Darkness as a god, praying to it and giving up sacrifices. It was they who killed the Traveler... They were the ones who truly killed the Earth.

The Cabal, or Space Turtles as humanity named them... A warrior race of heavily armed aliens. They seem to have a single goal of expansion and conquest. If they can't form a treaty with or outright conquer another world, rumor has it they simply blow it up for getting in the way. However, the Awoken have managed to create a fragile peace treaty with various Cabal Clans. The Cesarian Clan shows promise of becoming a true ally, so long as we allow them to have various portions of Mars, the fourth planet in my solar system.

"Then we have the Vex... No one really knows where they came from, or who created them, but about two hundred years after the war with the Hive scarred our moon, a race of cybernetic beings attacked our colonies on Venus. Stories say that they had been on, or rather inside, our innermost planet, Mercury... But wherever they came from, they are dangerous. Especially due to their technology. They can travel to any point in space and time almost instantaneously. They want nothing more than to wipe out anything inferior to them, which is everything.

"Finally, there's the Taken... Thousands of years ago, someone came up with the idea that one's enemies can come back to haunt them. The Darkness took that quite literally. It creates constructs of enemies already around you, dead or alive, and makes them ten times as durable and twenty times as dangerous... And they're evolving. Recently, a small group of them seem to be different from the rest... They have a leader, Oryx the Taken King... I was on a mission with a group of veteran Guardians as a representative for the Awoken, and we ended up killing his son. I don't really know what's happened since then, but I've heard that he's amassing an army to get his revenge against the Guardians."

She sighed and let her words sink in. The two humans in front of her seemed stunned. Stella nearly leapt out of her seat as someone cleared their throat to the right. Headmaster Ozpin had arrived, along with a blond woman she could only assume was Glynda Goodwitch. The Guardian stood and bowed slightly, "Hello again, Mr. Ozpin. How long have you been standing there?"

"Since you put a gun to Mr. Black's head. Thank you for not shooting him."

Emerald couldn't help but snicker, "Too late. She floored him for calling her 'sweetheart'."

Glynda cleared her throat and glared at the two teenage criminals, "I do not believe that either of you are in any position to be acting so flippantly. Both of you should be sent to prison for conspiracy to commit terrorism and treason. However, this generous man is willing to hear you out."

Stella glanced at the duo before sighing, "Their story checks out with Neopolitan's. The mystery employer pressed them into service and threatened them with death if they left. It doesn't seem that they were damaged too badly though. This woman apparently concentrated on torturing Neopolitan for some reason."

Ozpin and Glynda nodded and made to enter the hospital room, but they were cut off by Stella, "Please, I think it would be best if we waited until after the nurse finishes with her. Neopolitan was hurt pretty badly."

Ozpin detected a pleading note in her voice and decided to consent, "Yes, I suppose you are right. Oh, Glynda, allow me to introduce Stella Black, Guardian of Earth."

Glynda frowned and peered at the cloaked Guardian, "Guardian of Earth? That sounds like a fairly important title for someone so young."

She shifted uncomfortably, wishing she still had a helmet rather than this hood, "Well, actually, I am a Warlock Class Guardian. I've only been one for about eight Earth years."

The Deputy Headmistress pursed her lips, "Hmm... And what exactly makes you a Warlock Class Guardian?"

"Warlock Class Guardians are the scholars of the Vanguard, preferring to learn about the enemy and use tactics to fight, rather than the brutal power of a Titan Class, or the battle prowess of a Hunter Class. Our subclasses are unique as well. The other classes seek to dominate their power, and bend it to their will. We prefer to let the power of our subclass flow through us, unfettered by shapes and bonds. My subclass is the Voidwalker Subclass."

Ozpin frowned at the unusual subclass title, "And what might that be?"

Stella ducked her head slightly, "Voidwalkers seek to balance both light and dark. We are the ones who dare to look into the dark abyss and use that terrible darkness to defend the light. We are those few who can bear to live in the shadows, and not become one ourselves. We are the ones who walk within the Void, the Voidwalkers."

Both Glynda and Ozpin seemed conflicted by the answer, but the former appeared to have the greater reservations, "Are you saying that you fight this Darkness, with its own power? Are you not afraid of being corrupted?"

A wry grin appeared on Stella's face, hidden by the cowl, "Ikora Rey, leader of the Warlock Class, once said that no matter how much light there is in the universe, there will always be darkness. In order to defend the light, you must first understand the dark. It may seem odd to you that someone would use the very thing they fight to defend themselves, but to me it's just a way of life. You have aura, correct? Well, I have the exact opposite of it. My power is not from the soul, but from nothing at all. It isn't exactly Darkness, but it isn't Light either. It's somewhere in between."

Glynda just shook her head, "Never mind, forget I asked..."

Ozpin opened his mouth to continue, but paused as Nurse Joy stepped out, looking tired and stiff, "Oh you're here, Professor Ozpin... That's good... I managed to patch the poor girl up the best I could, but even with Dust and Aura infusions, there will probably be some heavy scarring. She's awake though, if you want to see her."

He nodded, "Thank you, Joy. Why don't you head back to your apartment? It's half past nine, and I'm sure you could use a rest."

The nurse nodded wearily and slowly left without an argument, allowing Ozpin and Glynda to usher the other three into the room. Neo was sitting on the bed, back in her normal clothes, though Stella could see the edge of a bandage poking up past her collar. She appeared to be somewhat more relaxed than before, but immediately tensed up at the sight of Ozpin and Glynda.

Professor Ozpin sat down in one of the chairs, staring intently at the four enigmas standing in front of him. He had a major decision to make, one that could possibly affect the entire planet of Remnant. Sighing in frustration, he gestured to Stella, "Miss. Black, why are you a Guardian?"


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Stella raised an eyebrow slightly, confused by the question, "I'm sorry, but I can't say I understand the question..."

He shook his head, "Please, remove the hood, this is a school after all. We already their stories, but almost nothing of yours. What I want to know is: Why do you fight for this Guardian group?"

Now it was Stella's turn to consider her answer. Reluctantly, she lowered the hood, ignoring the gasp of surprise from Glynda, "Well, I don't... I help them out, but I can never consider myself part of the Vanguard. Partially because I'm an Awoken, and staying among the primarily human Vanguard makes me uncomfortable, and partly because I never started out as a Guardian... Most newly created Guardians are either picked up by a more experienced Guardian, or somehow manage to make it to the Last City. I ended up being taken to The Awoken Queen after I had a run in with the House of Wolves, a Fallen house allowed to the Awoken."

The headmaster rubbed his face, wishing he had brought some tea with him, "When you say, newly created, what exactly does that entail?"

She sighed, "Well... Try to bear with with me... A Guardian doesn't choose to be one. Before the Traveler was severely damaged by the Hive, it managed to give one last technological gift to the dying human race, Ghosts. It was their job to seek out those who could become Guardians... And bring them back from the dead. I had been dead for over two and a half thousand years before Little Light found me."

Ozpin refrained from outright accusing Stella of lying, "So, you're saying that your floating friend here, resurrected you? Does this happen often?"

"Err... Which part? The Ghosts bringing long dead bodies back to life, or Little Light resurrecting me?"

The headmaster worked his jaw, rendered speechless by what Stella was hinting at, You... Dead... How? Are you seriously expecting me to believe that you have been brought back from the dead multiple times?!"

She nodded slowly, "Well... Yes. I would demonstrate it here, but we are much too far away from the Traveler, and there's not enough Light to feel comfortable with attempting it. You'll just have to take my word for it."

Professor Ozpin shook his head, "If you say so, Miss. Black... Now, you were referring to not being a part of this Vanguard. Would you care to elaborate?"

She nodded, "When I was resurrected, it was in an area of Earth claimed by the House of Wolves. I managed to find a weapon to defend myself, but instead of killing the first Fallen I fired upon, the weak gun only managed to give the Dreg a mild concussion. So, against my Ghost's wishes, I decided to take a closer look at what I was supposed to be killing...

"The bullet actually dented the Dreg's helmet, and the alien could barely stand up. At first, it only growled at me in the Fallen language, but then it switched to English and actually told me to kill it."

Light quipped, "To which I wholeheartedly agreed..."

Stella rolled her eyes and continued, "Well, I wasn't about to kill someone when I had no clue what the hell was going on, so I decided to help it. Thus began the strangest arguement ever... While we were debating whether I was supposed to kill him, I have honestly never heard someone argue for killing themselves... Anyway, while that was going on, we missed the fact that every Fallen patrol within a ten kilometre radius had converged on our location and were watching us, including the Dreg's father, a Fallen Captain. Surprised by my lack of hostility, he began questioning me.

Light had explained a bit about what the Guardians did, and I didn't feel right with just going in and wiping out anything that moved and wasn't human, Awoken, or EXO. After all, that's what the Darkness did. Again, the Captain was confused, but since I spared his son, he decided to not kill me. Instead, he took me to the Awoken Queen, who decided that I would serve under her instead of the Vanguard."

Ozpin remained silent for a moment, trying to process the massive amount of information being sent his way, "What happened next?"

"The Fallen trained me, the Queen taught me diplomacy, and I learned how to conduct military and diplomatic operations on Venus, Earth, Mars, and the Moon. Eventually, I became an honorary member of the House of Wolves, and a Captain. It was around that time that the Vanguard began hearing rumors of a Guardian who fought alongside Fallen and parleyed with the Cabal. I had been living with the Fallen for about four and a half years by then, and considered them and the Queen as family. Even her brother was warming up to me, and that prat must be the biggest prick in history...

"I think it was after a particularly violent mission against the Vex on Venus that the Vanguard came knocking on the proverbial door. We had received word that the Vanguard Generals were coming to the Reef and they wanted me to return as soon as possible. I left Tony, the Captain's son I had spared, Tono is the Fallen word for Son, so I just decided to call him Tony... I left him in charge of the clean up, and rushed back to the Reef."

Glynda raised an eyebrow, "Let me guess, this group of generals weren't too pleased by your actions?"

She nodded,"Not particularly, especially Zavala and Cayde-6, the Titan and Hunter Generals. Ikora Rey however, seemed more curious than anything. Anyways, they managed to make me go with them to the Guardian's Tower in the Last City. There, they tried to convince me that what I had done was wrong. The Fallen were just a bunch of bloodthirsty bandits and the Cabal were complete monsters. I tried to tell them that I was actually a part of the House of Wolves, and that we were allied to the Queen..." Her eyes attained a livid green glow as she continued. "Then they told me that my Queen couldn't be trusted. That she was almost considered an enemy to the Vanguard."

Ozpin frowned, "I am going to assume that you didn't take that very well?"

Stella shook her head,"They had to pry Cayde from the side of the tower, and Zavala ended up with a boot planted where the sun doesn't shine. The only reason I didn't do something similar to Ikora, is because she actually listened to me. Ironically, she's the only human. Zavala is an Awoken, and Cayde is an EXO, an extremely advanced Android."

Ozpin glanced at Glynda, who shook her head, "You attacked the people who were supposed to be your leaders because they insulted this Awoken Queen?"

"No. I attacked them because they're just a bunch of narrow minded hypocrites who need some sense knocked into them. Them insulting the woman I considered a very close friend, even a sister, just added to their pain."

Ozpin couldn't help but smile. It seemed that the girl was an idealist, who would defend those she cared for with every breath she had. He just had to make sure... "What about these other three races, the Vex, Hive, and Taken? Why didn't you try to make peace with them?"

Stella shrugged, "There are some things you just can't reason with. Corrupted souls, Magic zombies, and homicidal robots are just three of them."

Ozpin laughed, "Well said, Guardian. Now, I have a little proposition to make for the four you. As you know, each of you are looking for a safe haven, however I cannot just let you stay here. Atlas would be at my neck if I was found harboring three criminals and an illegal alien. However, if you were to become students here, I could pass you off as foreign exchange students who arrived late in the year."

Emerald and Mercury looked at each other, silently debating what they should do. Mercury gave up after only a few seconds, and his partner nodded, "We'll do it. Just as long as you can keep us out of prison."

Neo seemed to be of the same mind, nodding her assent, albeit much more hesitantly.

Ozpin smiled at them before turning to Stella, "Miss Black? I need an answer..."

Stella frowned, considering her options. Ozpin was right. She was an illegal alien stranded on an unknown planet... This human was offering her asylum, and she knew this was her best option. There was just one thing... "I need to make a few conditions."

"Of course. Just say what you need, and I will see what can be done."

She cleared her throat, "First, the Arcadia. It needs to be repaired. I don't know what materials you have on this rock, but I bet I can at least get the main engines and communications system going again. Second, the Dust material on this planet, I would like to study it in depth. Third..." The Guardian paused, searching for that magical third item. Her eyes landed on Neopolitan, who was struggling to stay awake now, and an idea popped into her head. "This concerns Roman Torchwick. I would like to have a team from this Academy bring him here. I doubt that he is still in the same location now, but when he resurfaces, I would rather not have the regular law enforcement deal with him."

Ozpin nodded, "I believe we can easily satisfy the first two conditions, and I will do my best to assist with the third one. However, there is a small requirement, one that you would have needed anyway. Here at Beacon, all students must go through a rigorous initiation. Just a formality, I assure you, but it can be a bit dangerous."

Stella deadpanned, "Sir, you're telling that to a girl who regularly fights sentient beings hell bent on tearing me apart. I will consent to your initiation. Thank you for doing this, Mr. Ozpin."

The headmaster stood and nodded, "A little word of advice, seeing as you will be a student here. You will address the adults in charge as Professor, or Doctor in Oobleck's case. I will have some sleeping bags sent up here for tonight. Try to get some sleep you four. I expect to see you at Initiates Drop at eight o'clock sharp. Guardian, I suggest that you figure out a way to hide your alien technology. You have my permission to access the library archives for help... Good night..."


	5. MAJOR AN

_**Alright, this is a major announcement! I have just created my very own page! For a while now, I've been receiving suggestions that I try to get paid for my work, and for the most part, I've dismissed them. After all, I enjoy writing, and even more so I enjoy people enjoying my work. I didn't want to have people pay for it. But recent events have left me... well, I'm dealing with a case of fraud and a recent pay problem wiped my account. I have student loans to pay, a phone bill, and a credit card to pay off. It isn't completely FUBAR yet, but I think it's getting there. I dislike asking for help (my parents have always had a field day with that one), but I think it's time to suck up my pride and turn to my fans. I know it I don't have that large of a fan base compared to most authors on this site. Heck, why would I? I don't exactly write mainstream stuff... However, I think it's time to suck up my pride and start looking for some help. My page is www. Writing_Soldier. I'm not asking for or expecting much, and I'm betting most of the people here can't really help... but if you could spread the word, that would be great. I need all the help I can get. Now... I think it's time to answer a few concerns I noticed in my reviews. Especially in "The Force of Change."**_

 _ **So... I think the biggest question I keep getting is: "When will I update my stories?"**_

 _ **Well, there are some thing's you need to know. My updates may or may not happen, dependant upon my schedule. I am a soldier in the United States Army. I have duties to attend to throughout the day, and sometimes I just don't have the time to get to this. I am however, concentrating a little bit more on "The Force of Change" right now, so you can expect more regular updates on that. In fact, the next chapter should come out within the next twenty-four hours of this update being made. So... head on over there if you want some of my writing.**_

 _ **Second: I have received several requests to see/review rough drafts of other stories... I'm actually confused by this. I'm not a professional writer. My mother is definitely a better writer than me as a teacher and someone who has taught up to college level classes. (She's a math teacher right now, and the best in Texas.) She was the one who taught me how to read and write before I really even started in school. I have her to thank for everything I know about writing (really, I'm pretty sure she could teach some of my old high school teachers a few things). As for reviewing and giving suggestions to said writers...**_

 _ **I'm going to give you a bit of advice. I've been writing since my freshman/sophomore year of high school. My first attempt at writing a story, for those of you who remember that far, was a ten chapter, 900 word story full of errors and problems. I have actually put more time and effort into my writing than... well, just about anything else, really. I think the only other "legitimate" thing I do more than write is play music. The point is, just work at it. I don't write like people were taught in school. There's no rough draft, no brainstorming, nothing of the sort. Everything you see on my page is completely free-written. It's my raw thoughts and how I see things playing out. Minimal planning and editing. Even what you're seeing now is simply my thoughts on the matter. I've come a long way from the days of the first Black Rose... The "Force of Change" has already grown into a ten chapter, 30,000 word novella. I love to write, and I'm glad others love to read my stories. If you already enjoy what you're doing, then keep on doing it. If you really want suggestions on your writing, then don't just ask one person. Post your chapters! Your best critics won't always come from people more experienced than you, but the ones who actually read your stories! Post the stories and then let the readers decide. If you want me to look at it afterwards, then you can just PM me the link! I enjoy reading stories as much as I enjoy writing!**_

 _ **Number Three: This is concerning some of my stories that people have been anxiously been awaiting updates for stories such as: "An Act of Faith," "Tomorrow's Destiny V2," and my BRS/Harry Potter Crossovers. I can assure you, there are chapters in the works. I actually lost a lot of work on "Claws and Wands" due to a computer crash... Really need to get a new one at some point... But that's later down the road. MUCH later. Just be patient, and your chapters will come. Like the saying goes, "A watched pot never boils."**_

 _ **Number Four: This is actually an extra note concerning the page. For those who donate the most, you will receive a cameo in one of my stories. As time goes on, and I get more time on my hands, the rewards will increase. I will try and take commissions for my music covers if I ever manage to do any.**_

 _ **Number Five: This is a shoutout to my brother. I won't say his name, but you know who you are. It's annoying trying to communicate with you on this site if you skirt around the shadows and only comment as a guest. For crying out loud, it takes two minutes to make a basic profile on this site! Make one!**_

 _ **Alright... Now we come to the biggest thing I saw on my reviews for "The Force of Change." These are answers to reviews put out by a guest going by the name of Axcel!**_

 ** _1\. Concerning Vader's title. You're right on the Supreme Commander part, I just like the sound of High Commander. It gives it that shock and awe feeling. As for the Lord Vader shite, Lord is his title and official capacity within the Empire, while Darth Vader is his name. It's like a Lord in old England. He is a Sith Lord, yes, but no one really knows what that is. So, he has the title of Lord, and since his name is Darth Vader, that makes him Lord Darth Vader. According to the Imperial Census, his name really is Darth Vader, which is why Leia literally calls him Darth. It isn't giving him a title, it's saying his first name!_**

 ** _2\. Concerning the Lightsaber: While it's entertaining to think of a lightsaber as some sort of contained laser weapon, the truth is that it's just not scientifically possible. A laser would be invisible, whether it's contained or not, and the amount of energy it would have to put out to cut through durasteel is equivalent to that of a small star. Looking at it from a scientific standpoint, you need something that fills these requirements._**

 ** _a. Hot enough to _melt_ through steel, not cut it._**

 ** _b. Hisses and hums as it moves through a medium_**

 ** _c. produces Ozone and Ionized gasses as it travels through the air._**

 ** _If we were to follow these three requirements, then the only suitable material is plasma. Superheated, ionized gasses that can be manipulated to create a glowing blade. Using electromagnetic fields, one can contain the plasma, aka an Emitter Shroud. The sound generated upon activation, is actually very similar to that of a plasma torch being activated._**

 _ **2: Concerning Ozpin's assumption about the Empire. Remember, Ozpin is very close friends with another military commander. Despite James's disciplinary attitude, he is still very caring about the people surrounding him, and doesn't generally make death threats or outright kill people. Vader has killed nearly a hundred men in a single night, more than half of those deaths occurring simply because they were in his way. He already has made several threats, one in particular being a direct threat, to Ozpin's life. And since Vader already admitted to being the High/Supreme Commander of the Galactic Empire, he knows that Vader is lying when he says "superiours." There is only one other person Vader could possibly be referring to when he says "report to his superiours." The Emperor. Also, he admitted to being second in command, a Dark Lord of the Sith (what good, benevolent empire would put a Dark Lord in charge?), and that he had the authority to arrest and kill anyone within the borders of said Empire. Glynda was watching that previously.**_

 ** _3\. Concerning Glynda: Glynda was the one who watched Vader ruthlessly cut down over a dozen men with no effort at all, during which he was in fact _toying_ with them. He's threatened Ozpin already, she knows he was ready to kill the Malachite twins for attacking him, and he straight up admitted to killing thousands of people with his bare hands and millions, if not billions more through his orders! Also, he states that he wishes to call upon the Empire to assist him with leaving the planet, and judging from his words, that means they will be coming to subjugate the planet as well. She is thinking about the students when considering the Rebel Alliance. She doesn't want the students to be hurt or subjugated by an Imperialistic threat from beyond the planet's confines._**

 ** _4\. Concerning Vader's saber: If you notice, I specifically stated that he used a Limiter Ring to generate the required dampening energy to convert a Sith Saber to a training saber. Yes, it is something I just threw in there, but I needed to keep him from outright killing his students due to their own incompetence. Neo's saber is an old Jedi blade, meaning it has the required settings. Vader's saber is a Sith blade, meaning he had to use an accessory to make it safer._**

 ** _5\. The Emperor is an idiot sometimes._**

 ** _Alright... I think that covers everything. Remember, even if you can't donate, then try to spread the word around. Who knows maybe I'll get more readers out of this!_** **_Sincerely,_** **_Dr. Bartholomew J. Tucker._**


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